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10.18.2016

Sony Settles Class Action Lawsuit

Sony Agrees to Pay Some Purchasers of the Original PlayStation 3

This week, Sony settled a class action lawsuit involving the “other OS” feature of the original PlayStation 3. The 6 year lawsuit has been settled, and some PlayStation 3 owners will be able to claim money from Sony. Owners who provide acceptable proof that they used the other OS function will receive $55. Owners who submit a claim without proof saying they intended to use the feature will receive $9.

The lawsuit was thrown out in 2011 by a California judge, and was revived in 2014. PlayStation 3 owners were angry over a firmware update which removed the “other OS” feature. The "other OS" was usually a Linux operating system, and some owners bought the console specifically for Linux. PlayStation 3 owners had the choice to refuse the upgrade, but would lose access to the PlayStation Network.

“PlayStation 3 owners had the choice to refuse the upgrade, but would lose access to the PlayStation Network.”

Officially, Sony removed the feature for security reasons, but many believed it was an anti-piracy measure. Sony claimed the move was allowed under its terms of service, but PlayStation 3 owners sued for "breach of warranty, false advertising and other offenses".

Anyone who purchased the original PlayStation 3 between November 2006 and April 2010 from an authorized US retailer can submit a claim. To receive the $55, PlayStation 3 owners must provide a proof of sale and proof they used the other OS feature. Acceptable sale proof includes a receipt, credit card statement, or other document showing the date and location of the sale. For the owner to prove the feature was in use, they will need to provide a screenshot showing Linux on their PlayStation 3 or some other proof.

All claims must be submitted by Dec. 7 here, and an FAQ for the settlement can be found here.